Water Level

Flowers drink a lot of water, so your vase should be full. This helps increase the turgor pressure of the plant cells, allowing the cells to be firm and healthy. So basically, fill the vase almost all the way up.

Water Cleanliness

The goal is to reduce bacteria from blocking the plant cells, preventing the cells from drinking up the all the water. Vase should be washed with soap and water and water refreshed every few days, as the water becomes murky.

Water Temperature

Cold temperatures generally slows down the opening of flowers. Warm temperatures expedites the opening. If your flowers are tight buds and you want them to open more quickly, give them a fresh cut and place in warm water. We usually recommend tepid water, not too cold and not too warm.

Room Temperature

Flowers last longer in cooler temperatures. We recommend keeping out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources. Some people like to put their arrangements outside overnight for a chance to cool down. Flowers don’t like zero or near zero temperatures so not recommended for winter months.

Cutting Each Stem

Ideally, every time you change the vase water, you should be giving your stems a fresh cut, at a sharp angle, with sharp clean tools. This increases the surface area of the open stem, allowing more water to enter the stem at one time.

Flower Foods and Additives

The white powder packets that you often get with flowers is a combination of three ingredients. An acid, a sugar and a disinfectant. The Acid to open up the stems for hydration, a sugar to feed the flower pushing it to open, and a disinfectant to keep the bacteria down.

We don’t recommend flower additives and don’t believe they are necessary for at home use.

A clean, fresh vase and some basic maintenance will go along ways to making your flowers last longer.